Naruto Shinsei Chronicles
by SAYAMO
Summary: Sometimes he wished he never came back. If he hadn't maybe Sasuke would not be in prison, weeks away from his death sentence; Granny would never have been put in a coma; Jiriya would still be alive. Three outsiders are are here to give him a wake up smack
1. Exit the Fangirl, Enter the Desert

The prison cell was quiet and plain. Four walls encased its prisoner, who slumped over in the middle of the cold floor. His dark eyes were dazed and unfocused on his bare feet and the specialized shackles around his wrists. They were plain, made of some kind of metal he assumed to be the same kunai were made of. However, the difference between his and any normal cellmates was: the black markings carved into his that were absent from anyone else's.

It had been six days; he counted, since anyone had come to bring anything besides his meals from the door on the wall behind him. Beside the plain, pale door was a window that could be seen out of both ways. The criminal facing his back to it only glanced at it once, when he had arrived, to see the faces of his friends turned enemies.

Their disappointed glances had barely fazed him. Barely. Only one face had stood out amongst the others, and it seemed the most saddened of all, as well as the most battered. The life had been drained from the ocean blue eyes of the person he'd long since attempted to forget. The one he'd tried to kill those years ago. The one he'd forcefully broken the bond with. The one person who, no matter the obstacles, persevered. The one who vowed to bring him home no matter what, and had succeeded. And the one person that smiled at him in the end; softly, deftly, sorrowfully… And in forgiveness.

It sickened him. The fact that no matter what he did, or what he said, that one person still pined for him. It was pathetic on so many different levels. And, he hated that the simple, childish smile, and vow to retrieve him, got his heart to beat every time from within the cold, dead insides of Uchiha Sasuke.

The door behind him opened. He assumed another ANBU black ops was coming in to retrieve his un-touched tray of shit made to keep some prisoners alive. The last remaining Uchiha was only half right.

Everyone who had entered had simply approached, did their job, and left. No words were exchanged. The occasional drop of the slop, instead of it being placed on the small table three feet in front of him out of disdain for the only living Uchiha. This time, however, the ANBU in charge of his not-to-be-eaten-meal stood behind him. Not moving or saying anything for several minutes.

Finally, the person spoke.

"Teme…" the voice whispered.

Suddenly, Sasuke's dark eyes widened in surprise. His senses became as astute as they could - considering the lack of nourishment. Now his eyes narrowed on the ground before him. His legs were lazily crossed, and his bound hands rested in fists on the ground between his thin, muscular, albeit, bruised and scratched, pale legs. As if he were an animal. Honestly, that's how majority of the villagers would see him, and probably already did. But… Why was he here?

Still, Sasuke remained silent, not moving an inch like he had with everyone else. Had that dobe made it this far? All the way to ANBU? It couldn't be. He was too loud and impatient for that particular level.

"Hey," the cerulean eyed shinobi verbally prodded as his foot gently met with the Uchiha's back. "At least look at me when I talk to you, Sasuke."

His name. From everyone else's lips, it sounded like poison. Coming from the blond ninja, it sounded like home. Home… What a funny thought. Sasuke no longer had a home. He'd given up his home for power, and where had it gotten him? In jail, without a family, and without a home.

'Itachi… You were such an idiot,' he inwardly mused, 'Naruto… You're just as bad as he was…'

Sasuke's attention was brought back to reality as the shinobi behind him spoke.

"I won't ask why you did it. I already know why," the blond jinchuriki stated from behind. The former Team 7 Uchiha shook his head inwardly.

'You'll never know why if you don't ask, Uzumaki Naruto…' He thought in the darkest recesses of his mind.

"But why… Why did you return? Why, after we gave you so many chances?" The fox growled a bit, letting his emotions slip out. Whether on purpose or not was undecided, though the snake user guessed it was the latter.

'And sometimes when you ask, Naruto, you still won't find the answer handed to you on a silver platter.'

The former member of Team 7, no, more importantly, Naruto's best friend, hadn't moved. It aggravated him to no end, not being able to see his face. Even if it were devoid of emotions, he wanted to see it. He needed to know if he had gone mad for coming back, or if he had a specific reason. Was Sasuke a spy for someone else? He was unnerved.

Once again, the blond growled. "Fine, don't answer me! But, you hurt a lot of people when you left! Now, coming back with no explanation!? See how well you fair on trial!" He hadn't meant it. He wanted Sasuke to be able to come back to the village, but it may or may not happen. Most likely the negative.

Naruto dropped his plate beside the Uchiha and stomped out. Dammit! They both shouted in their heads. As Naruto passed the window, Sasuke turned to catch sight of the Kyuubi Host. He took in every detail he could, from the rage gleaming in his always--usually always-- energetic and determined eyes. Like six days ago, it was not so. He seemed tired and paler than usual. But it could just have easily been his shitty window.

For now, the Uchiha would retire to sleep. He wondered if it were morning, noon or night, but figured it to be the beginning of the night, seeing as he was just barely drowsy.

As his body twisted back to its normal slouch, he noticed the food was not slop. It was decent, and a scroll had been placed on it. He decided not to touch it at all, and pulled a knee up to rest his forehead against as he thought something before forcing sleep onto himself. Naruto… I didn't come back for you to forgive me… I couldn't stand myself if you did. Naruto… Just… Let them kill me…

With that last thought in mind, Sasuke slipped into his usual nightmares, with some twists, including random ninja from the village. Or, perhaps they were not so random?

**_________________________________________________________________________________**

At the same time Naruto Uzumaki had entered the prison, the sun began to set, while the moon fought to replace in the darkening sky.

As the moon took it's rightful place in the night sky, it's luminous image reflected in a secluded lake in an oasis, surrounded by patches of green and shade from a few trees. The wind softened into nonexistence. The ripples on the water's surface also ceased. The sight was beautiful to say the least.

The lake held a haunting beauty that was alluring and mystic. It seemed as though it would come to life at any second. And as it had seemed, it also became.

Three ripples formed the corners of a triangle, all about four feet away from each other, and all moving in perfect unison. As the ripples spread out to touch one another, the center of each began to rise. They grew into human shapes and sizes, then froze over, only to be shattered.

There, standing in the center of the lake, were three cloaked figures. Two were about the same size and height-which was around 6 feet- while the last was about a head smaller than both. Their hoods covered their faces completely, and yet a long platinum ponytail protruded from the hoods of the two tallest members of the threesome.

They all looked at each other, nodded, then darted off to the North East; On to Sunagakure- The Village Hidden in the Sand.

The only feature that truly stood out was the shining metal that reflected the moonlight as they ran through the desert. Each of these metal plates were on a different location of their bodies, but they all held the same symbol- A full moon with only half colored in.

_________________________________________________________________________________

The number one knuckle head ninja had stomped out of his previous team mate's cell in anger, but it was short lived. He slowed to a sluggish walk and sighed in sorrow. The corridor he turned into was the last before he'd exit the building. The sooner, the better. He couldn't think of Sasuke the way he was now. No, he couldn't think of the Uchiha at all for now. It was too painful.

As the light of the next room reached his frail body, he cast his glance up, only to be met by the pink haired kounoichi's panting form. Great, all he needed was her shrill screaming and flying fists.

"Naruto, why didn't you tell me you were coming to see Sasuke?" she demanded, still panting heavily. She must have run there. It was a waste of time and breath because the blond shinobi wouldn't talk to anyone right now, much less her. Sasuke was the only one he wished to address at the moment, and since he couldn't, he would simply silence himself.

"Naruto, answer me!" the Haruno Kunoichi demanded once again as Naruto walked pass her, out of the building's front doors. "Naruto!" He just ignored her, a blank look still cursing his usually optimistic features.

"What's wrong with him?" Sakura mused to herself as she calmed herself and reached the guards of the recently installed holding chamber for prisoners of Konohagakure.

It wasn't too long until Naruto heard her frustrated scream. He turned near a tree and continued walking. Konoha just didn't seem like home now. It wasn't the same. He wasn't the same. He just couldn't go back the way everything was. He wouldn't. And so, he listened to the natural sounds of the forest, mixed with the shrill squealing of the vexed teenage fan girl.

_____________________________________________________________________

Dawn was now breaking over the mountains surrounding the desert. The sight of the sun peaking in over the tall inclines was a spectacular one to behold. Even the three figures had stopped to watch for a moment. They each raised an arm, took hold of their hoods, and freed themselves of it in order to watch properly.

The first was a man near six feet tall. His hair was long and blond, tied back into a tight, low ponytail, resting on his right shoulder. His eyes were icy blue, and full of a charismatic charm. His lips were quirked up into a cocky smirk that betrayed the gentle features of his eyes. His skin was just lightly tanned, but for the most part pale. He wore a long, brown cloak that now flew open from the wind, and revealed his lithe body structure. He was thin, but toned. His top was a black, sleeveless kimono with a gray collar and scarf. The was slightly open, revealing the center of his fine chest. His left arm was almost completely covered by white bandages, his hitai-ate was black and tied around his upper arm. The man's right hand held a similar bandage, but it stopped at his mid forearm. On each hand was a fingerless, black, leather glove. His pants were black and slightly baggy, with weapon pouches on either leg, and were tied at his knees. To top it all off were his black, open toed ninja sandals.

To his right was a girl, shorter than himself, with onyx hair in a similar ponytail that trailed down her back.. Her eyes were a deep shade of violet, and slightly covered by her bangs. Her cloak covered everything from her mid drift and up. Her hands rested at her sides though, revealing that she had black, fingerless gloves on, with small silver diamond-shaped plated on each knuckles and her left wrist was encased by a thick metal bracelet. Her waist held a purple hitai-ate similar to the same color as her eyes, and acted as a belt for her black shorts. Like her partner, a weapons pouch was strapped to both legs, with bandages beneath them, and black covered ninja shoes were on her feet. On the back of her leather shorts was a skirt that reached her mid-calves, made of the same fabric.

And last but not least, to the female's right, was a man almost identical to the first. He had the same height and stature, along with identical hair, eyes, and flesh. His kimono top however, had long sleeves that stopped near his mid-thighs, with a black base and white trim, similar to the other man's. His scarf was identical, but his pants were a bit longer, and also black. The looseness of it was for easier movement, as well as comfort. Like his companions, a weapons pouch was strapped to both legs. Bandages were securely wrapped around the remainder of his legs, and he opted for the same open-toed sandals as the other man. Like his comrades, his long blond hair was tied back into a ponytail at the nape of his neck and resting on his left shoulder.

By now, the sun had risen high enough into the sky that it lost it's value to them, so they'd begun their journey once more, their hoods once again draped over their faces. The destination had come in to sight, and they silently cheered in their minds. It hadn't been an excruciatingly hard or long journey, but the temperature did a 180 in under a minute, and these three were most accustomed to a cool and wet climate.

As they approached the front gates of Suna, a man in a green vest with most of his head covered approached them. He seemed to be a high ranking ninja, seeing as a whole horde of shinobi were laying low, ready to pounce if necessary.

The trio simply stated their business, not loud enough for the others to hear, and were escorted into the village by the man, whom they soon learned was named Baki. The other nin were very curious to know who these three intruders were, but it was obvious they'd have to wait.

The three travelers took in the sight of the village. The streets were so busy, the food smelled terrific, and the people didn't seem too bad. The stomach of the dark haired female began to grumble, resulting in the chuckles of her allies.

"Hey, hurry up now. If you want to see Kazekage-sama, you'd best move your feet," the man grumbled. Groaning, they followed, but not before the two males showed of their ability to make stupid faces in order to cause their short companion to laugh. Baki looked back at them and frowned. His expression was cross, his lips shut tightly.

"Perhaps he doesn't have anything nice to say?" the violet eyed female began. "Then he's not saying anything at all."

"Why yes, that could indeed be so, my little minx," her male companions replied in unison. They were obviously twins, but one of their voices was a bit lower pitched than the others. It held more of a seductive tone, laced with the experience of a fighter. The voice of the man with no sleeves held an even tone, although it was a bit more playful then his brother's. It was a bit higher, but not feminine, simply that of a maturing man.

Sighing, their guide shook his head. If this was what the new village had to offer, then the future of the shin obi villages was looking bleak.

As the foursome approached their destination to the center of the desert village, their eyes widened. The buildings and homes they'd passed were very well crafted, but the largest building was the center of it all. The Kazekage's office. A true artist would be able to appreciate this place, and the twins knew that their female companion's mind was running wild with thoughts of it. Her eyes darted everywhere, just taking it all in. It was obvious she intended to do something about these sights later.

They'd entered the building now, which simply looked like the interior of an office. It was disappointing to say the least. With such a gorgeous exterior, they expected the same, fabulous interior. But alas, they were sorely mistaken.

The man lead them to up a flight of stairs and toward a plain door that was marked "Kazekage" in kanji. He glanced at them once more and ordered them to wait in a gruff voice.

"So…" began the man with long sleeves.

"What are we to do?" finished his look-alike.

Frowning, the young woman brought her hand to her chin in a thoughtful manner. "Well… Like Buyoukage-sama said, we can inform the Kazekage of our goal, but no one else in this region. If we were to somehow leak information, intentionally or by secondhand, it might jeopardize the mission." She looked up at her team mates with a solemn expression, her hood still hiding most of her features. "The shinobi nations might very well be on peaceful terms, but there are those who would turn rogue for the just the wrong reasons."

"Agreed," they said in unison.

"The only problem is, the Kazekage may not trust us," the sultry voice of the long sleeved twin interjected.

"He has no reason not to trust us," his other half declared childishly.

She shook her head. "But he also has no reason too, either. I mean, wouldn't you be suspicious if another village that was said to be lost thousands of years ago, suddenly resurfaced, and not a year later, asked you for help?" she whispered.

"Yeah, but isn't our mission justified? I mean, it isn't even about us! It's for-"

"Akito, keep your voice down bro," the long sleeved brother covered his twin's mouth with one sleeve, his voice laced with concern. The man in his arms nodded and was released.

The door that the Jounin from before entered now opened, catching their attention from the middle of the office. A blond woman had opened it. Her short hair was put up into four pigtails, and her skin was tanned from the desert sun. They noticed that her teal eyes seemed suspicious and untrusting of them, but the trio didn't really worry about it. She motioned for them to enter, and they stalked in, one by one, ready to face the monster of a Kazekage they'd been informed of by a ninja who'd informed them of all that had been happening outside of their village's protective barrier for the last 16 years.

What they found behind the desk was not what they had pictured. The image they formed in their minds changed daily, but it always involved a large, hairy man, with facial hair and dark, stern eyes. The youth of the Kazekage had never passed the lips of their mole. No. He was possibly the youngest man ever to be announced the overseer of an entire civilization.

The Kazekage was in his mid to late teens. Like most kages, he was dressed in white robes, but with a hint of blue beneath it. His hair was short and the color of blood, and his eyes a light shade of sky blue. A perfect contrast. His pale skin was different from those of the villagers too. On his forehead was what appeared to be a red tattoo in the form of kanji, meaning love. He was like a porcelain doll: shiny, new, and perfect.

The three foreigners stopped before him, a light blush on each of their faces as different thoughts of the young and handsome Kazekage's raced through their individual minds. It was unimportant at the moment though, for the eyes of Suna's leader were on them. But of course, being the rambunctious ragtag team they were, something stupid had to slip out, right?

"You're the Kazekage?" Akito, the short sleeved twin suddenly asked? The teenager sitting behind the desk simply nodded.

"But your so young," the female commented, her hand resting on the opening of her cloak at her neck. The red head glanced at her expressionless.

"And so cute," the final member said. The eyes of the Suna shinobi turned to him, as if he were holding a grenade and had lit the fuse. "W-what?" He backed up to stand closer to his team. "You guys think he is too, right? It isn't just me?"

"Oh yeah," Akito answered confidently.

"Well yes, Kazekage-sama is quite attractive… To say the very least," she whispered the last part shyly.

The twins grinned at the light blush on her tan cheeks mischievously. She was, after all, their best friend, and totally single… Well… Sort of…

She shot them a glare as if to silence them and began walking up to stand before the Kazekage's desk. Her violet eyes now determined and focused. It surprised the other six shinobi how quickly she reverted to this form.

"Kazekage-sama, have you received the scroll that the Buyoukage sent?" she asked.

The three shinobi behind him were shocked. They were not informed of a scroll from the new village. The tallest, Baki they remembered, looked down to his seated leader in confusion.

"Gaara," the man they'd just noticed began in a low growl. He was dressed fully in black, with a hood that seemed catlike, and purple kabuki painting drawn intricately on his face. "Why didn't you inform us of a scroll from Tsukigakure?"

_So the Kazekage's name is Gaara, then? _They thought in unison.

"Kankuro, Temari, Baki," they snapped to attention. "Don't dwell on that. It is none of your concern." He now turned to face the three humorless faces before him. This wasn't a matter to be toyed with. "As for you three, what have you to say?"

They all glanced at each other, then at the three ninja standing over the redhead. Their mission was clear, they'd discussed it before. Now was no time to be intimidated.

"Kazekage-sama, like the scroll stated, we wish to discuss this matter privately," Akito stated.

"No way!" the man in black said in a rough voice. It seemed he was quite protective; a trait that only came with a bond. A trait that the foreign shinobi knew all to well.

"Please hear us out Kazekage-sama," Akito's brother pleaded.

"We have no reason to trust you. Why should I?" the Kazekage questioned with hard eyes and an even tone.

"W-well," Akito faltered.

"Because we want the same thing!" the violet eyed female said. Her voice was a little shaky, but it was simply a habit of hers.

"And what is that, exactly?" the Kazekage voiced everyone's question.

She stood tall now, her eyes fierce with determination. "To be able to protect: Our villages, the people we love- everything and everyone we cherish. We don't ask that you trust us, it's much too soon for that. But we do ask that you assist us in this one request. Our mission is vital to both our villages, as well as Konoha!" she exclaimed.

The twins gaze had traveled to her a long time ago. Their female companion was not one to speak up so suddenly. She was a silent fighter, who's actions usually spoke for herself. The dark hair that covered most of her eyes was pushed behind her ear so that she could stare down the crimson haired Kazekage. They noticed the other ninja had also gone rigid

Standing from his chair, the Kazekage never took his cerulean eyes away from her own violet ones. "Tell me," he began, crossing his arms across his chest. "Who are you three?"

The two males stepped up on either side of their young woman and fixed their eyes on the Kazekage as well.

"I am Akito. The oldest of the Ginhi Twins," the sleeveless blond answered first.

"And I am Akihiko. I am the younger of the Ginhi Twins," the long sleeved twin stated while flipping his cloak over his shoulders and crossing his arms as well.

Crossing her arms as well, the onyx haired female replied. "I am Shion. A kounoichi of the Tsukigakure: The village hidden in the moon. Currently a genin, and an ambassador, as well as a direct student of the Buyoukage."

"A genin?" the Kazekage questioned. She nodded in response and he in turn. "Baki, Temari, Kankuro…" they turned their eyes from Shion to their leader. "I want the three of you to wait outside."

"What?" Baki tensed and looked at the foreigners.

"B-but Gaara-" Kankuro began.

"Akito. Akihiko."

"Yes, Shion-chan?" they asked in unison as they wrapped their arms around her shoulders.

"You two should wait outside as well," she said, eyes never leaving the redhead.

"What?" Akito was shocked at the request.

"But why?" Akihiko questioned further.

"Simple," she said, turning to face her comrades with a small smile. "Because it's fair."

They were shocked to say the least, and responded in unison. "B-but Shion! He's the Kazekage! There's no telling what-"

"Don't worry," Shion soothed the brothers. "I'll be fine. Like you said, he is the Kazekage. I believe he'll hear me out on this matter. And besides," the violet eyed woman began pushing them to the door. "I have you two to protect me if I get in over my head.

The five shinobi who were ordered to leave now stood dumbfounded on the other side of the office door. They simply could not wrap their minds around this turn of events.

On the opposite side, Shion took a seat directly across of the young Kazekage.

"Your name was 'Shion,' was it not?" She nodded yes. "No surname?" She shook her head in response. "Then that's another thing we have in common. I am called 'Sabaku no Gaara.' You may call me Gaara. Now, if you wouldn't mind, elaborate."

"Hai, Gaara-sama." She liked the way his name fell smoothly from her lips. This man was not a monster, although his eyes and expression seemed some what cold. The more she took in of his expressions and reactions, the more confident she was in her suspicion. This man, a former bijuu, was not a monster. The only likeliness of a beast he held was the ferocious desire to protect his village and loved ones.

Sighing, she began her explanation…

**_______________________**

**Okay, that's it. The first chapter of my Naruto story. It's set a couple years after Shippuden, when the original Naruto characters are about 18-19 years of age. So that would make Gaara 17, Naruto 18, and Neji them 19. Things have been settled, the ninja villages are at peace, and recently, a new village called Tsukigakure has arisen. More will be explained about that in later chapters, but it isn't that big of a secret, really. **

**I must say, this was an accomplishment for me. Never in my entire life, have I ever written anything in 10 pages! So Imma celebrate with a mud pie!**

**Anyways, are you wondering what their mission is? Well I know! Of course I know. And I gotta say, with these three characters, The Ginhi brothers, who I decided to name the Aki's/ Aki Bros, are my favorite characters. Don't ask why, cuz I won't tell you! Well, you could ask, but I'll probably only tell two people, and those people are Akito and Akihiko themselves!**

**Akito= Touya-Dono**

**Akihiko= SoubixLoveless**

**Love you guyz!!! And yes, yallz is blond!!! But pretty blonds!**

**Oh, right. So I promised three stories, right? Well the KH one will be out next. It won't take too long since I'm working on it now though, so I hope you read that when it comes out as well.**


	2. The Twins Verbal Assaults

Fifteen minutes later found the three Suna shinobi and the two Tsuki ninja still waiting outside of the door. The eldest nin, Baki, had began pacing 2 minutes after they had been so gracefully kicked out of his student-turned-leader's office.

The twins had just taken a seat about 6 feet away from the door and were now leaning back-to-back. Their eyelids had begun to close, as if they were about to fall asleep. However, they rubbed their eyes free of the thought of a nap.

"Hey, Akito-Bro?" Akihiko called softly to his elder brother.

"Yeah? Wazzup, Akihiko?" Akito answered, stretching from his spot on the ground.

"That Kazekage…" a smirk spread over his lips. His voice was smug, but his brother knew his intentions from the beginning.

Akito wasted no time in standing, which lead his flabbergasted brother to fall flat on his back with wide eyes. His hands found their way into fists on his hips as he stared incredulously down to his younger twin. "No way, Akihiko! You aren't getting involved with the Kazekage! I forbid it."

By now, the three Suna nin were staring at them. It was partially because they were curious… But mostly because those two were just plain queer.

"What do you mean he can't be involved with Gaara?" the puppeteer asked, sounding offended in his younger brother's place. He crossed his arms over his chest in a haughty manner. After all, weren't they trying to bring peace between their two villages? And yet, these two…

Akito had taken it upon himself to grab his brother's collar and drag him to his knees in order to shake some sense into him. "Big brother won't allow it! It's weird! And awkward! And you aren't good enough to be with a Kazekage!" He continued ranting.

With a highly peeved expression, Akihiko slapped his brother across the face and was released. The older brother flew back a foot or so, and placed a hand on his left cheek. His blond bangs fell into his eyes. The Suna trio wondered if they had to clear out for a fight or not. Before anyone else could make a move, the all but forgotten door opened, revealing Shion, with a nervous smile on her face. She closed the door, turned to announce whatever news she had to her teammates, and was tackled.

"Aiee!" she squealed in surprise as the extra weight forced her to the ground. "Eh? Akito?" She said as she sat up.

Baki, Temari, and Kankuro looked at one another in annoyance for two reasons. The first for being ignored, and the second for not being able to tell which twin was which.

With tear filled eyes, Akito looked up into Shion's deep violet ones. "Sh-Shi-Chaaaaaan!" he whined.

"Un?" she tilted her head to the right.

"You're stupid friend bitch just slapped me!" he yelled, his voice slightly cracking as he pointed right at his brother.

Akihiko's eye twitched in annoyance. While crossing his arms, he turned to the side with a slight pout. "'Y-You're stupid friend!?'" he reiterated. Blond bangs fell from behind his right ear, obstructing the eye from sight. "Akito…" he hissed.

"Don't talk to me! We aren't related anymore," Akito replied, tightening his arms around the dark haired females waist possessively. "Shion's my new twin brother," he said smugly.

In order to prevent yet another fight between the brothers', Shion stood up, the childish older twin still clinging to her waist, but never causing any hesitation in her stance as he hung from her torso. "Okay, first off, I can't be your brother, Akito-kun."

Whimpering, Akito stood on his own two feet and replaced Shion's waist with her neck. "But why not, Shi-chan?" he whined yet again.

"Because, Aki-chan," she explained as she attempted to release his hold on her body. "Well first off, I look nothing like you, and we don't share the same parents or birthday. So we couldn't be twins. And most importantly, I'm missing a crucial body part that most brothers have. If you know what I mean." Shion finished with a shrug. She finally freed herself of the insane blond shinobi.

"Oh," Akito said, slipping into a corner of the room. His aura was dark as he began pulling mushrooms out of the ground.

Suddenly, the three Suna nin who had been ignored only moments before suddenly drew closer to the dark haired kounoichi's side. "Umm…" the Puppeteer faltered. "W-where did those mushrooms come from?" He would have asked something else, but out of all the awkward antics, growing your own mushrooms spontaneously stood out the most.

Shion's violet eyes traveled to the interrogator. "He does this all the time. I apologize you all have to witness such an unprofessional group." she answered.

"Don't worry," the apparently more sensible twin mumbled as he wrapped an arm around his teammate's shoulder. It was less clingy than his brothers. "He gets like this a lot. Just leave him and he'll be fine later."

"Akito!" Shion was appalled at his nonchalance. Although she'd witnessed it before, she was still surprised when his cruel side reared it's ugly head from the shadows.

"Well he will!" Akihiko declared in anger.

The Tuki Kounoichi knew that look. "Neh, Aki-ni-chan? What exactly did he say this time?"

His blue eyes traveled to the woman who now shrugged his arm away. "Said I wasn't good enough for the Kazekage. That guy…" he growled.

"Well he's kind of right, you know," she said bluntly. "I mean, come on. A Kage? He's in another league completely."

"You know, Shi-chan," Akihiko stood up straight, a smug look on his face. "I wasn't who I had in mind." She stared at him with a look of confusion. He leaned in until his face was mere inches away from the violaceous female. "I was thinking you and the Kazekage could hook up-"

"Preposterous," she declared simply, a glare marring her usually soft features. Before another word could be uttered, Shion walked over to Akito's corner and placed her hands on her hips. Her leather skirt swayed with her movements. "Neh, Aki-ichi…" she said harshly. The Suna nin had noticed that she called them by various different names.

"Ginhi Akito, remove yourself from that corner this instant. This is no time to be cultivating mushrooms in an important figurehead's office! We have a mission to complete, and if you don't get off your ass right now, we're leaving you behind!"

Suddenly, the pouting older brother stood and took his position beside his twin as if nothing happened. "All right, off to the desert!" he said, much more gung-ho than before.

"Not quite yet," Shion replied. Akito glared at her as she walked over to the three Suna shinobi. She pulled a scroll out from the area between her shorts and skirt. "Here," she said, handing it to the oldest of the two ninja siblings. "The Kazekage asked that I give this to you two."

Glancing at her brother, Temari took hold of the scroll carefully. Immediately, their minds thought it could have been rigged. However, she didn't seem the type to do something like that. It would end the treaty, as well as put whatever his their mission was at jeopardy. And so, cautiously, the oldest of the Sand Siblings unfurled the scroll. The three read it together and sighed.

Shion and the brothers tilted their heads. "Well..?" they asked in unison.

The two siblings spared a frustrated glance. "G-Gaara…" Kankuro sighed.

"He wants us to accompany you to your destination…" Temari's equally discouraged voice chimed in.

Kankuro scratched his head. "Tch. Well, I guess this is an official mission, so we can't really disobey the Kazekage, can we?" His older sister nodded in response. "Well fine then. But you three better listen up!" The three Tsuki shinobi stood at attention, their right arms up in a salute. "We're leaving first thing in the morning, so be ready at 0500 hours, got it?"

"Hai!" they agreed with a smile.

"Heh." Kankuro smirked. "Now that's what I'm talking about."

Shaking her head, the eldest of the Sand siblings turned away. "I'll take you to a hotel now. You can stay there for the night, so let's go."

"Hold up a second," the twins replied, crossing their arms.

"Shion, what exactly happened in that office?" Akihiko asked while tucking his arms into his sleeves as he usually did.

"Yeah. I mean, why did we have to leave? You didn't try to seduce that foxy redhead, did you?" Akito finished, wrapping his arms around his own waist. His natural habit.

Shion stared at them in silence for a moment, then turned away. "So you were saying something about a hotel, right? Any chance we can get some food along the way?" she asked Temari.

"Uwa? Shion, wait! Come back here!" they called as they chased after her. They began to pester her with their promiscuous questions, but she simply ignored them and began chatting with the two ninja she learned were siblings.

* * *

In the recently rebuilt Konohagakure, a man stood in the night on the roof of the building in the center of his village. His body was covered in robes identical to the Kazekage's, only instead of the blue beneath it, there was res. A kasa with a kanji symbol rested uncomfortably on his head. The wind shifted his clothing as he sighed. He never liked being in this building. And now that he was in charge of it, the hatred of being there no longer slept deep within his shinobi heart.

The five faces upon the mountain standing before him calmed his soul a bit. Especially that of the fourth face. He turned his head only slightly to the side and spoke. "Neh, Iruka. You can come out now. I know you've been there for a while."

Suddenly, a man with russet hair pulled into a high ponytail appeared behind the robed man. He had bronzed skin and a scar running horizontally across his nose. The green vest he wore gave away his Chunin status.

The robed man turned his body to fully face the intruder. "Well well now. It seems I've found myself a spy. Or perhaps a stalker?" His voice wasn't harsh. It sounded playful and light despite the circumstances.

His subordinate knew from the start that there was something wrong. He could sense it in the Hokage's aura. A blush appeared on the Chunin's cheeks as he began to speak. "I was concerned about you. You haven't been yourself the past few days. Is everything alright, Hokage-sama?"

"Now now, Iruka. I've told you once before, haven't I?" the man teased as he took hold of his kasa. "You needn't address me so formally when we're alone. " The headpiece was now in his hand at his side. "After all… We've been friends for much too long. Isn't that right, Iruka?"

Iruka's cheeks darkened. The man before him was beautiful, and such beauty should never be hidden. The silver hair on his head was slightly flattened due to the kasa he'd just removed, and his mismatched eyes perfectly fit him. His right eye was a soft onyx, while the left was the crimson sharingan he'd received long ago. Iruka never knew how someone not of the Uchiha bloodline inherited a sharingan, but he figured if the man before him had wanted him to know, he'd tell him that tale eventually. The strangest bit of his appearance was his lack of the cloth that usually covered his face from the bridge of his nose down. Iruka had only seen his current Hokage's full face once before while eating ramen with him, and he had to admit to himself that he desired the sight of his lovely pale face even more than before he'd seen it.

"Well, aren't I right, Iruka?" the man questioned yet again.

"H-Hai… Kakashi-senpai," the bronzed man nodded shyly. Although Umino Irukla appeared slightly gruff, he was simply a gentle teddy bear.

Smiling mischievously, the Copy Cat Ninja shrugged as he turned toward the statues once more. "I guess we can't break you of all habits. It wouldn't be cute otherwise, ne?"

Blushing more profusely than before, Iruka stood next to his leader and lay his hands on the railing. "You don't have to say it like that," he protested.

"Please forgive me…" Kakashi swiftly shifted his body to position himself behind the other man. "I can't help but tease you. It comes so naturally. After all…" Iruka felt the Sharingan users strong arms wrap around his chest and waist. "I do affect you so much…"

"K-Kakashi," he whispered breathily.

"Don't worry so much. On nights like this, I need your company more than anything else," he said honestly.

Iruka's eyes drooped until they were half shut. He leaned his head backward onto the silver haired man's chest. The nights in Konoha had become cooler than usual, and in Kakashi's arms he could feel the heat radiating off of the former Jounin. Finally registering what Kakashi had said, Iruka stood up fully and turned to face the silver haired man. "Wait. What did you mean by that? Did something happen?"

With his arms still wrapped around the gentle man, Kakashi tilted his head downward until their foreheads touched. "Naruto hasn't come back yet," he explained. The Hokage had known for a fact that the Number One Knucklehead Ninja was the ultimate factor that brought everyone together. Even himself and the dolphin by namesake in his arms. They'd come together five years ago to discuss Naruto's future, but as time grew by and two years passed, the protective feelings they had for Naruto had developed into feelings for one another.

__________________

Three years ago was when it happened. When Naruto was away with the white haired Sannin. The two men had met up coincidentally in the street on their way to get something to eat, and decided to go together to their most common restaurant. It was the first time Iruka had seen Kakashi sans the mask. Ayame, the ramen shop owners daughter, had blushed immensely.

When Kakashi did nothing to abate the young girl, his heart dropped. It didn't help that she received a smile either. It was a known fact throughout the village that the Copy Cat Nin was a huge hentai who read the Icha Icha series. He was also young, incredibly handsome, and although most in the ninja world did not realize it, Hatake Kakashi was quite charming in his own way.

When Iruka had realized just where his thoughts had led him, he turned back to his ramen bowl and took up his chopsticks once more. What he failed to notice was the sneaky onyx eyes the Jounin had on him. It was such a shame that Iruka hadn't noticed. Wasn't he supposed to be a ninja after all? Observant and such?

After they had finally left the establishment, they walked together on a night similar to the one they shared now. Side-by-side, they could feel each other's body heat, so the cold did not bother them as much as the few people they found on the street. Iruka's lips quirked up into a smile. The last time he'd eaten ramen was about a year ago with Naruto before he set out for his journey. He hadn't wanted to break the tradition of eating with his student, but for some reason, this evening held more than one surprise for him.

"Iruka," the silver haired Jounin brought him out of his daze. "I heard you were asked to step up and become Jounin, yet again."

Iruka turned a corner, Kakashi still following, the question still lingering. _'Was that why he asked me to join him this evening? To celebrate a thing like that?'_ He nodded stiffly in response.

"What is this, the 12th time you've been asked?" Kakashi continued.

Iruka nodded once more. "Yes," he said, his voice void of any emotion. "Something like that. The Third asked me once before his death. So I guess that makes it unlucky number thirteen."

Before he knew what was going on, the Jounin to his right had burst into a fit of laughter. Cocking an eyebrow, Iruka's head darted around the area to see if there was anyone around, or if there was anything particularly funny looking, so that he might share in on the laughter.

"Ano… Kakashi-senpai, what's so funny?" Iruka asked, although afraid to know the answer.

Kakashi, who had doubled over from the laughter, looked up into Iruka's chocolate brown eyes. "Well…" he was able to say through a fit of chuckles. "You are."

Iruka titled his head to the side in confusion as the Jounin stood to his full 5' 11" and faced him fully. "Iruka… You always look at the bad side of a situation, don't you?"

He had no idea what the silver haired shinobi before him was referring to. Wasn't Iruka usually positive? Or at least he thought so. As his mind whirled around that simple idea, he had yet to notice the Jounin walking toward him, until he felt two strong, protective arms wrap themselves around his body. "W-wha… K-Kakashi-senpai..?"

"Iruka…" he took a breath. The copy cat nin had indeed wanted to do this for a very long time. "What is it that frightens you so much? Why can't you allow yourself to go on to the next stage. You are more than capable… I've seen that."

He was stiff in those arms. He simply could not move. Although… He could speak. "Why would I want to move on?" His copper eyes began to close. "He was a Jounin. He died… Not even a day after he'd been promoted."

"Iruka, is that what this is all about?" Kakashi asked, pulling back from the embrace. His eyes widened at the sight before him. Tears silently ran down Iruka's tan cheeks. "Iruka?"

"I know it's pathetic… But I don't want to die. So many shinobi have surpassed me, but I don't care," he sobbed. "I'm fine the way I am. I can still protect the people I care about. I can still help Naruto and the others… Can't I? Besides… He was more of a ninja than I could ever-"

Before he could finish his statement, Iruka's lips were caught up by his senpai's. With wide eyes, he stood their, motionless. The tears that had been falling before were all but forgotten. The kiss was soft and gentle, unlike anything Iruka had ever felt before. Although, in his dreams, they were much rougher and desperate. But before Iruka could even think of returning the kiss, Kakashi released his hold on his lips.

"Iruka, you've already surpassed your own expectations of yourself. You've been there for Naruto whenever he needed you, and you've defended this village and your students countless times." Once more, his arms found their way around Iruka's slightly smaller body. "You keep selling yourself short, thinking you aren't anything like your father…" he whispered, resting his head on the one below him. "But you're wrong. The only difference between you and your father is that you are alive. You're just as brave as he was, and even more compassionate." Iruka's shaking had ceased, so he was calm now. "I wonder though… If anyone else has noticed how much of a crybaby you are…" Kakashi smirked, an attempt at lightening the mood.

Pushing the taller man away, Iruka stepped back, one hand over his mouth. "Kakashi-senpai, why are… I don't understand!" he said desperately. It wasn't as if Kakashi liked him back! He was a skirt chasing, porn reading, pervert. So then… what was with the kiss?

"Honestly," Kakashi began, his right hand rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, I don't really know what to say. You're just really huggable is all. And hugging usually leads to kissing in my book."

A sweat bubble appeared on the back of Iruka's head. "In your book?" he questioned. "Your book is written by a pervert, for a perverted audience. I'm going home now."

It was then that Iruka was thrust upon the wall behind him with a death grip on each forearm, and an angered senpai's eyes boring into his, only mere inches away. "Iruka… I don't think you quite comprehend what's just happened here. You see, that just now, was me kissing you."

Iruka glared up at the Jounin. "Yeah, I know that. I'm not a total idiot, you know," was his angry reply.

Kakashi's face masks had all been thrown to the ground beneath him, leaving his entire face out for display. It was now that Iruka's eyes traveled to the lips that were previously on his. They were moving now, meaning that he was saying something… But Iruka could simply not process what it was that he was saying exactly. It just didn't really matter after that perfect, first…

"Senpai…" Iruka whispered in a voice he'd never heard himself use outside of his dreams. "Why?" he asked. "Why did you-"

"What? Kiss you?" Kakashi pressed on, placing an index finger over the Chunin's nose in a light tap. "Well, what other reason could there be besides the obvious one?"

"I-I don't know what you mean," the orphaned Chunin replied.

"I think you do, I-ru-ka…" Kakashi had said each syllable with a husky voice on purpose. After all, he had gone this far. So why not take it to the end? He had been lusting after the man for over a year now, after all. It wasn't like him to have a crush so easily, or for so long, so he'd come to the conclusion long ago. He was in love with Umino Iruka. Simple as that. Or so he thought. It was aggravating to have not had sex for a year. In fact, at this moment he was feeling a bit randy. It probably had something to do with Iruka's shy behavior and the adorable blush on his cheeks.

Iruka wondered how the subject had gone from whatever it was they were discussing before, to his remaining a Chunin, to his father, and now this. Kakashi sure was a strange sort of man. Going around kissing other guys. Especially those who hadn't been…

"Iruka?" He looked up at his name being called. "What do you say I take you out on a date?"

"A date?" the bronzed ninja was not going for that. "Is this how you ask people out? Get them all insecure and then steal their first kiss?" Oh shit. It slipped out. The light pink tint was now an all out scarlet flush.

"First… Kiss? Iruka… I had no idea." The Jounin sounded utterly shocked. Like he thought Iruka went around kissing guys or something? "I just assumed… I mean, you're 27 after all…"

"Yeah, well, I prefer to focus on missions," he replied, flustered.

"So then…" Kakashi began, backing off of Iruka. He was just so damn attractive. He never would have guessed the Chunin to be so innocent at his age.

"Yeaaaaah…" Iruka replied, wrapping his arms around himself. He looked to the ground between them, then up at Kakashi's bare face.

"Oh what the hell," they both said in unison as their arms encircled the other and they joined for another heated kiss. This time it was passionate and heated. Kakashi's tongue slid craftily between Iruka's lips and into his hot, virgin mouth. A moan escaped his throat, causing the scarecrow to smirk into his long awaited kiss. He tasted even better than he smelled. It was intoxicating, and even better than either had dreamed it to be. Slowly, Kakashi pulled away, caressing their lips together once more.

"So Iruka… About that date…" Kakashi said with a triumphant tone.

__________

"What do you mean he hasn't come back?" was the question that awoke Kakashi to reality. Iruka's soulful eyes stared up into his desperately. He knew telling the news to the Chunin would only worry him, but if he heard it from someone else, he'd be angry, and Kakashi would have to find a new way to apologize.

"He went to go see Sasuke, and he hasn't come back yet. It was sometime before dusk."

"Dusk?" Iruka asked. "But it's already pass 10. Surely he's come back by now…" Iruka pulled away from his lover until his calloused hands rested on Kakashi's forearms. "Hasn't he?"

The Hokage shook his head. "If he isn't back by morning, I'll send a squad to search for him." The wind chose now to pick up again, taking some leaves with it.

Iruka turned his back toward his lover. "But… What happens if we can't find him..?"

Silence overcame the two Konoha Shinobi. They'd realized long ago that the blond shinobi was fully capable, however…

* * *

"Damnit…" the black clad Suna nin repeated for the ninth time. He and his sister had awoken about an hour ago in order to finish preparations for the mission ahead of them. The worst part of it was he had barely gotten a wink of sleep. "Those Tsukigakure shinobi are a pain in the ass," he complained.

Temari groaned and glared at her brother. "It's your own fault for staying out with them for so long. Do you even realize what time it was when you got home?"

Returning the glare, Kankuro stayed silent.

"Hmph. That's what I thought, baka," Temari said triumphantly. She rarely, if ever, lost a verbal-or physical- spar with the middle child.

"Would you two silence yourselves for a moment?" the youngest of the sand siblings groaned inwardly. Weren't these two supposed to be his older brother and sister? Weren't they supposed to be setting a good example for him? Obviously they never got the memo. "We're here."

And sure enough, they had arrived at the alleged meeting spot. Instead of meeting at the gates of Suna, the Tsuki shinobi requested to meet in the center of the village. It was not clear why, but the Suna nin had agreed. Something about those three made them concede with minimal resistance.

The three foreigners had arrived before them. The twins, whom Kankuro had spent most of the night with, were chipper and stretching beside their female team member. The puppeteer groaned with envy. He was sure they'd had as many shots as he had. And yet there they were, smiling and moving about as if nothing had happened… He had to know their secret!

"Well well Kankuro, looks as if you're drinking buddies are up and about," the wind manipulator teased. When her brother growled in frustration, she continued. "Envious are we?"

"Tch."

"Would you cease your bickering," the Kazekage demanded. His sky blue eyes stared up at his slightly taller siblings in disappointment. They both shrunk back in embarrassment.

"Sorry Gaara," the two quarreling siblings said softly.

Smirking, Akito hopped up to Kankuro's side. "Wow, listening to the little fellow are we?" he jeered.

Akihiko appeared at Temari's side so now the twins would be flanking the two. "How cute."

Stepping a foot or so in front of Gaara, the black haired female traveling with them flipped her ponytail over her right shoulder and crossed her arms below her chest. "Akito," he stood at attention. "Akihiko," he mirrored his older twin. "Settle down, or I'll see to it that you never have the pleasure of being intimate with another human being again. Are we clear?" Her violet eyes demanded an answer.

"Well," Akito began, his voice skeptical.

"What exactly would you do to us?" His tone was identical to his brother's as they stepped away from their previous prey, only to fall into the wolf's den.

"Why simple," Shion replied sweetly. "I'll chop your dicks off after tying you to the most uncomfortable chairs with the largest, thickest, sharpest kunai I can find onto the seat, would preventing you from allowing your asses take a rest. Then I'd feed them to a weasel as you watch it devour the one piece of manliness you two posses…" the statement was easily said in one long breath.

With wide eyes, the two oldest Suna shinobi inched away. Silence then fell upon the six shinobi…

"Shion-chan…" Akihiko began for once.

"I can't believe you just said that…" his brother followed.

"Really?" she nonchalantly replied, raising her right hand to twirl a strand of her hair. "I don't see why not. It isn't as if I've grown soft after four years of not being on the battlefield."

The two blonds burst into a silent fit of laughter. They held their mouths in consideration of those who still slept at 5:47 a.m.

"Oh dear Shion," the chuckled in unison.

"We can plainly see," Akito managed to say as his right arm wrapped itself around his stomach and he balanced himself with his left hand upon his knee.

"That your tongue is sharpest when dealing with the brothers' Ginhi." Akihiko mirrored that position as well as he responded.

Sighing, Shion, who appeared to be the boss, knocked their heads together, received an in unison "Oww. Biiiitch." Shrugging, she turned her back to them and face the Kage of Sunagakure.

"Would you two stop trying to sound clever by rhyming? It's lame!"

Holding one another suggestively, the brothers' began to cry, albeit not very believable, but they bawled none the less.

"Ugh. We're here for a reason, or do you two not remember?" she half whispered. Although the desire to shout and slap them was a very tempting idea.

Announcing his presence formally, the former jinchuriki stepped forward. "Yes. You three have a mission of utmost importance. Now is not the time to be slacking off."

With a scowl and a sigh, the twins turned their attention to the young man who stood an inch or two shorter than their own shorty. "Look," they retorted in an incensed harmony. "Just because we aren't stiff and visually sober, it doesn't mean we aren't prepared. Got it, Mr. Kaze-Chibi-Chan!?" they managed to growl through their grinding their teeth.

Once again there was silence. No one said anything for a few minutes in fear of further annoying the Ginhi Twins, the Kazekage, or the onyx haired vixen. While the two blonds still showed obvious signs of irritation, the others, even Gaara, had dropped their guard do due the sheer thoughtlessness of their words. After all, it was not everyday the Kazekage was addressed as… "Mr. Kaze-Chibi-Chan."

…..

"Ano… Perhaps we should… Umm…" Shion mumbled in an attempt to get them on their way.

Realizing what the Tsuki Kounoichi was doing, Temari took up her slack. "Er yes! The desert waits for no one. We should get moving before the sun is too high." Shion nodded her thanks with a weary look upon her face. Obviously, these two had a problem with keeping their mouths shut.

"Yeah…" one of the twins said gruffly. "It's time to go bro." And with that, they began to walk away.

Shion watched them, an eyebrow raised as their forms shrunk in the darkness. "Umm guys?" They turned to look her way. "Do you even know where you're going?"

Blushing, the young blonds stomped childishly over to Shion.

"You know," Akito sighed.

"We were making out grand exit," Akihiko grunted.

"Yes," Shion teased. "Exit, stage left, eh? Didn't matter where you were going?"

"Just get your little snowball out here so we can find our way, would you?" they both moaned.

With a light frown, Shion shook her head and turned her back to them. Before they could ask why, she raised her right hand and pointed over to where the Kazekage stood, staring coldly at the three of them. "Ohh…" they mumbled, rubbing the back of their necks.

"Yes. 'Ohh.'" the violaceous teen mimicked. "Now, apologize to the Kazekage, and mean it. What you two said was uncalled for and unnecessary," she demanded.

They nodded and did as they were told. "S-Sorry, Kazekage-sama," Akito said, feeling stupid.

"Yeah. Shi-chan is right. It was uncalled for," Akihiko said apologetically. For once, they had meant their apologies, and they actually felt like assholes for once. Especially because this one young man could decide their future.

"… It's fine. I said something uncalled for as well," Gaara replied, some of his cold glare from earlier disappearing. This action only furthered to stun his brother and sister, who were now just standing on the sidelines; eyes wide and mouths open wide enough to catch a Sphinx Moth in.

Smiling sheepishly, the twins jogged up to the kasa-less Kazekage and patted his head as if he were a mere canine. "Good Kazekage," they cooed. "Such a cute shinobi," they continued. "Shiiiioonnnnnnn. Can we take Kazekage-sama home and cuddle him and squeeze him and feed him then call him squishy and stuff!" they called softly to her.

Glaring, she replied with a simple "no." When they asked her why not, she shook her head. "Because you guys have a very different idea of cuddling, squeezing, and feeding. That's why."

"Aww. Shion-chan is no fun," they moaned while releasing the disgruntled shinobi leader.

"G-Gaara!" his siblings called as they ran to his side to insure he was physically and mentally sound. His body was perfectly fine. But his mind… Well once someone met the Ginhi brothers', let's just say they aren't exactly the same afterward.

"Look," Temari groaned after finally finding her voice. "Now that we're you're guides or what not into the vastness of the desert, could you inform us on what exactly this mission entails?"

A single glance between the three foreigners led to a nod, which led to Shion reaching into the area she pulled the scroll from yesterday out of. When she drew her hand back, another scroll was resting between her palm and fingers. "This, ladies and gents," she announced as she unrolled it. "Is a retrieval mission. Although we aren't going after a criminal or runaway, or even a person for that matter." The eyes of the two shinobi who were not in the know outlined the brushstrokes of what was painted delicately onto the piece of parchment.

"A… A cactus?" the puppeteer glared at the scroll. It was simply a large, this cactus with many branches.

"No, not just 'a cactus,'" Akito mimicked in a low, obnoxious voice, ads if he though Kankuro actually sounded that way.

"Akito…" Shion warned him. He backed off and turned away from the group, already knowing what the missions details were. "Anyway, it is a cacti, but it's quite a rare species."

"Rare species?" Temari questioned. Both Akihiko and his sulking older twin nodded with a steady look in their icy blue eyes. It almost made the wind manipulator shiver.

"Yes. It is called Peniocereus greggii, also known as the 'Desert Night-Blooming Cereus.' As it's name states, it only blooms during the night." Shion began rolling the scroll up and placing it back to it's original location. The three Sand Shinobi wondered for a moment where she actually put everything… It was better they didn't know.

Copying the twins former movements in stretches, Kankuro began to psych himself out. A mission was a mission after all. Who was he to question his Kazekage? "So then… We know what we have to find… Now how are we supposed to find the damn thing?" he asked between lunges and twists.

With mischievous smirks, the twins pointed toward Shion. She nodded and reached into the hood of her coat. She moved her hand around for a moment, then smiled as she halted in that particular movement and began to withdraw her hand. In her hand was a small, white ball of snow white fur. Two pointy ears were sticking out of it, so the three curious shinobi who gathered round assumed it was a living, breathing animal.

"Wake up sleepy head," the violet eyed teen whispered while allowing it to rest in both palms, although it was larger than both her hands together. The fluff ball shifted, then began to uncurl itself. It's large fluffy tail fell to the side uselessly and the creature stood on it's four paws to stretch. Red marking curved around it's small, undeveloped body. It's front left paw was the same shade of crimson, as was it's small eyebrows and the kanji on it's forehead that read 'Eternity.' After a long, inaudible yawn, it sat between Shion's palms and scratched the area between it's ears with it's back legs.

"Everyone, meet Yuuka," she announced with a cheery tone as it's eyes began to open, revealing a gorgeous golden shade they'd never witnessed before. "He'll be our guide to the Cereus."

It settled in Shion's leather covered hands and glanced up at the Sand Shinobi lazily, closing one golden eye. "Yo," it greeted them in a slightly deeper voice than expected.

* * *

**Well, there's chapter two. Finished it at 3:57 in the morning. It was actually just a distraction from my nephews' moving away. My two youngest are on the other side of the island, while my oldest, who is 7, is flew to Indiana last night. My retarded brother decided not to inform the rest of us that we wouldn't be seeing him for a long time, so I'm upset with him… Plus he didn't bring me any damn chicken! Well, he brought some with him, but he left it in his damn truck all day. I WANT MUH BEER CHICKEN BEEYOTCH!**

**Anyway, if you have questions about translations or anything, just ask and I'll post it in the next chapter. Also, notice how it's rated M? And notice how there's some swearing? Yeah… There's a possibility that it's linked, yeah? Plus, there's gonna be some violence next chapter and sex later. Just a heads up. I'll tell you when those chapters come around though, so if you don't want to read it then don't. Don't just sit there and be all like, "Ewww, I can't believe she wrote that! Blahdy blahdy BLAH!" I'm warning you now for a reason, so…. Duh… **

**And yes, "Violaceous" is a word. Look it up. Wow I'm mean tonight… I blame my dad this time. And no, I neither spell checked or grammar checked, but that flower thing is real.**

**Ah! No disclaimer! Umm… I'll just let these idiots take care of it, cuz it's fun that way, they need more attention, and I'm too tired. Oh look, 4 a.m. It's bed time!**

Akito: Our Hime-sama, Saya-chan does not own Naruto or it's characters…

Akihiko: They are owned by Masashi Kishimoto and his fucked up head…

Shion: However she does own the three of us, plus Yuuka and the Buyokage, as well as Tsukigakure and it's inhabitants…

Yuuka: So we hope you enjoyed it. Blahblahblah and we're done now.

Shion: Saya-chan would also like to apologize for the 15 page chapter to Kagome-chan, who is possibly out cold right now, just like Saya-chan.

Akito: Apologize for what?

Akihiko: Cuz it's so longwinded. Duh. And Kagometwin15 announced her possible death-by-long-chapter beforehand and Hime-sama still did it, even though she saved the awesome action for next chapter.

Shion: Anyway, we're done ranting. Tune in next time for more more emoliciousness… And yes, it is a word… I just made it up right now… Good night!

Akito: Wait a second……………. What happened to Baki…?

Akihiko: … The world may neve know…

_And here is a short guide for some of the words I thought would help some people who have never watched/read Naruto(Don't judge them!)_

**Kasa= the straw hat the Akatsuki and Kages' wear.**

**Jonin=** "High Ninja" or "Elite Ninja" **are generally highly-experienced shinobi with great individual skill who serve as military captains and go on A-Rank missions, and are sometimes sent on S-Rank, which are the highest ranking missions.** (AKA Kakashi)

**Chunin=** "Middle Ninja" or "Journeyman Ninja"** are ninja who are qualified to watch over and guide other ninja. Chunin have reached a level of maturity that primarily consists of leadership skills and tactical prowess.** (AKA Iruka)

**Kazekage=** "Wind Shadow" **are the leaders of Sunagakure Feared and respected across the world, they are responsible for making Sunagakure a powerful and great village, despite its small size. However, being responsible for raising so many great shinobi seems to comes at a heavy price, as all the Kazekage so far have met untimely deaths at the hands of assassins. For this reason, the Kazekage lineage is sometimes considered cursed.** (AKA Gaara)

**Sunagakure= **"Village Hidden in the Sand" **is the hidden village in the Land of Wind, where the Kazekage resides. It is one of the five great ninja villages, home to the Puppet Techniques(Kankuro) and the Wind Release Technique(Temari)**

**Konohagakure=** "Village Hidden Among Tree Leaves"; also known as "Village Hidden in the Leaves" or "Hidden Leaf Village" **is one of the five great ninja villages, and said to be the mightiest of the five, and home of the Hokage. On a mountain overlooking the villages from the north exists the Hokage Monument. The village resides in the Land of Fire. **


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